


Name Calling

by quiet__tiger



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Name-Calling, kids are cruel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-29 10:55:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10852512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiet__tiger/pseuds/quiet__tiger
Summary: Dick has some growing pains.





	Name Calling

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to Livejournal Mar. 9th, 2008.

Dick felt very satisfied when his fist made contact with the thug’s jaw, the resulting grunt from the offender loud and harsh. An uppercut and two more jabs later, his foe was on the ground clutching his broken nose with one hand and his sore ribs with the other. Dick stood over him and smirked, hands on his hips in triumph.

Until a loud voice behind him barked, “Mr. Grayson! What happened here?”

Dick turned as the smile fell off his face; behind him was the assistant principal, and he looked really angry. “We, ah, he said-”

“You can tell me in the office. Go there now, but first tell the nurse to come out here for Mr. Delaney.”

Dick walked slowly to the nurse’s office as the AP waited with Alan. After he finished there he trudged even more slowly to the principal’s office. They were going to call Bruce, and he would be mad.

But it wasn’t Dick’s fault Alan was a jerk. The kid was asking for it.

~*~

Dick sat slouched down in the passenger seat of Bruce’s car; Bruce had actually come by himself to pick him up. He glanced up at his guardian, whose jaw was clenched as he glared at the road, hands tight on the wheel. “Bruce, I’m sorry-”

“When we get home.” The words were hard and angry, and Dick felt even worse. No one would even listen to him!

He just slouched even further down in his seat, until Bruce ordered him to sit up straight.

~*~

Finally they arrived at the Manor and Bruce told him to go to his room until he could come up to talk to him. Dick complied quickly, not quite running only because he’d probably get in trouble for that, too.

He sat on his bed and waited for Bruce.

And waited.

And waited some more, all the while frantic thoughts about how mad Bruce was flashing through his head. Would Bruce ground him? Take away Robin? Decide he was too difficult to raise after all and kick him out?

He had worked himself up into a near panic by the time Bruce opened his door and walked in. Dick scooted further up his bed, either to put more space between them or give Bruce more room to sit, he wasn’t sure which. Bruce sat down at the foot and looked at him. Well, not so much “looked at” as “bored into” with his eyes. “Explain yourself, Dick.”

“He started it!” Wow, okay, totally the wrong thing to say and if Bruce had heat vision like Superman Dick would be a pile of ashes after that glare. “I mean, he called me names and made fun of mine.”

Bruce sighed, a deep, heaving breath that made him sound horribly tired. “All he did was say things? He didn’t threaten your life or endanger other people? He was simply being cruel through the use of language?”

“Well, yeah...” Wait, Bruce didn’t get it. “But he always calls me Dickhead or Penis or Wiener or Hick or Chick or Prick and things like that! I couldn’t just let him keep on calling me those things!”

“It’s wrong of him to call you names. It’s juvenile and uncalled for. At least it had better be.” Another glare was leveled at him and he nodded quickly. “But it was more wrong of you to attack him. I’m not going to say that you should reason with him, because obviously he would find an intelligent and thoughtful conversation far above him. Was there any reason you couldn’t ignore him or walk away? _Other_ than the concept of you saving face?”

“No. I guess. But I’m just so _tired_ of it!”

“Dick, you’re not going to want to hear this, but it has to be said: people will tease you about your name. Especially adolescent boys. But one day they will grow out of it, and so will you.”

“I guess.” He scowled. Bruce didn’t get it.

“No guessing about it. One of the WayneTech investors is named Richard Head. And yes, he goes by ‘Dick.’ And you know Green Arrow? He works with a man named Michael Rotch. Goes by ‘Mike.’ Truth.” Dick thought for a second, then caught on and grinned. “You will all get over it. And your parents gave you your name. You were proud of it, or at least I thought you were.”

“No, I am...” And he was. He didn’t have much left from his parents. Not enough to lose his name.

“You could always go by Richard,” Dick grimaced, “Or John.”

“There are four other Johns in my class. And it’s the bathroom.”

“Then stay with Dick. It suits you, and I mean that in all the best ways. And even Batman is a dick in one way: detective.” _That’s not the only way sometimes, Bruce._ Bruce smiled at his own little joke, but then it fell off his face as his eyes narrowed. “And I do not care what someone says to you or does to you, you do not fight with anyone your age. Not a physical fight the way Robin would fight.”

Dick scowled again. “He deserved it.”

“Robin is trained to fight to incapacitate. Every move I have shown you is for a specific purpose. None of them is even remotely related to breaking the nose of a bully at your school.” Bruce stood, and he towered over him, his voice almost a growl. “Your hands are dangerous, Dick. You could really hurt someone, like you did Alan Delaney. Even kill someone. It would be an accident, but that doesn’t change the facts.”

Bruce paced away and back a few times, until he stood in front of Dick and leaned over him. “And I think you should take a break from being Robin so that you can think about how important it is to remember that Robin and Dick are two different people, and when you are one you are not the other. It is difficult enough to be two people without mixing them.”

The confusing words did nothing to take away from their severity, and Dick felt liked he’d been punched in the gut.

“Start your homework, and I’ll have Alfred tell you when dinner is ready.” Dick nodded, and didn’t let the tears fall until Bruce was gone and his door shut. Robin was done. Only temporarily, hopefully, but still...

He tried to start his homework but he just couldn’t settle, eyes burning and stomach cramping, and he was relieved when Alfred came up and told him dinner would be ready in a few minutes because at least it meant he didn’t have to sit in his room alone. Before Alfred could leave, Dick blurted out, “I really hurt him, Alfred. Alan.”

Alfred sat down on his bed, much closer than Bruce had. “And I’m sure you feel horrid inside, Master Dick.” Dick nodded miserably. “But you’ve learned the lesson, and you’ll get Robin back soon, I’m sure. You know the Batman needs you out there.” Dick nodded, but wasn’t so sure. Batman had worked alone before Dick came to the Manor.

Alfred put his arm around his shoulders and pulled Dick close. “He does. Just as much as Bruce needs Dick Grayson.” Dick smiled shyly, glad that Alfred thought Bruce needed him, even though Bruce didn’t exactly seem to feel that way. “And if it makes you feel better, consider the multitude of ways in which the name ‘Bruce’ can be ridiculed, and he survived middle school in one piece.”

Dick scrunched up his eyebrows in thought before he admitted, “I can’t think of any. It’s not a thing and it doesn’t have any embarrassing nicknames.”

“Children today have no imagination.” Alfred squeezed his shoulder before standing. “Now, why don’t I get you some juice? Did you hear the excuse for the moose and goose on the caboose? And try not to get a bruise.” Alfred winked. “Clean up now, and come down to dinner.”

Dick just stared as Alfred walked away. Apparently all names had something you could make fun of. He smiled, but it faded when he remembered he was being punished and couldn’t be Robin, which had been his biggest fear since he’d fallen in love with the job.

Well, he couldn’t be Robin for now. He’d earn it back however he had to do it. And he’d definitely never get into another fight at school. Let the guys call him whatever they wanted, they were just words. He was proud to be a Dick.

And even prouder to be _the_ Robin.


End file.
